Tube end deforming machine with automatic tube clamping means



Aug. 30, 1949. PARKER -2,480 762 END D ATIC TUBE EFORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOM TUBE CLAMPING MEANS Filed Dec. 26, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 30, 1949. A. PARKER TUBE END DEFORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC TUBE CLAMPING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1944 M hm 30, 1949- A. PARKER TUBE END DEFORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC TUBE CLAMPING' MEANS Filed Dec. 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 30, 1949 TUBE END DEFORMING,MACHINE WITI-l AUTOMATIC TUBE CLAMPING MEANS Arthur L. Parker, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Parker Appliance Company, Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 26, 1944, Serial No.' 569,763

Claims. (01. 15379) The present invention relates to tube machines and more particularly to hydraulically operated tube end deforming machines.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of flaring or otherwise deforming the end of a tube of a relatively large diameter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tube end deforming machine wherein means have been provided for firmly gripping the tube end so as to prevent slipping thereof during the deforming operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tube end deforming machine of the above character wherein there is employed a pair of pistons operating in individual cylinders, One of the pistons actuating the tube clamping means :and the'other piston actuating the tube deform- .in means.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

' In the drawings,

7 Figure 1 is a rear end elevational view of a tube .deforming machine embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a verticalsectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in plan of the left hand portion of the machine and in section. through the frame-work of the right hand portion of the machine, said section being taken in a horizontal plane diametrically of the cylinders.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the tube end clamping means in relaxed position. a Figure 5 is an end view thereof.

In the copending application of Henry E. Hull et al., filed December 26, 1944, Serial No. 569,751,

.issued as Patent No. 2,478,102, August 2, 1949, for a Tube end deforming machine, there is disclosed and claimed a portion of the apparatus shown in thepresent application. The copending application relates to a tube end deforming machine having means for clamping the end of the I tube to be deformed and hydraulic means associated therewith for actuating the clamping means.

Said application further discloses a tube end deforming element which is actuated by hydraulic means associated therewith. Both hydraulic means include a pair of pistons operable in individual cylinders, one of the pistons actuating the tube clamping means and the other piston actuatin the tube deforming means.

The present application corresponds to the above mentioned copending application in that acre is employed a pair of pistons operating in individual cylinders for actuating the tube clamping means and tube deforming means respectively. The present invention differs from the copending application in the specific means provided for firmly griping the tube end during the deforming operation, and is intended primarily 'for flaring or otherwise deforming tubes of threefourths inch diameter and larger. These larger tubes are difficult to flare or deform and require a very firm grip of the end portion which willnot slip during the deforming operation.

Referring tothe drawings for more detailed description thereof, and particularly Figures 1, 2 and 3, the machine is shown to include a rectangular shaped base plate I on which is mounted spaced upright members 2 and 3, said members being mounted at each end of the base plate and fixedly secured thereto in any desired manner. Mounted between the uprights 2 and. 3 is a pair of cylinders 4and 5 maintained in spaced relation by means of the spacer member 6. The

cylinder 4 carries a piston I and the cylinder 5 carries a piston 8, said pistons being suitably packed by means 9 within the cylinders. The 'uprights2 and 3, cylinders 4 and 5, and spacer member 6 are linked together by means of tie bolts or the like 10, there being preferably provided 'eight of thesetie bolts as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

. The front upright member 2 is formed with an annular recess II at its outer end for receivin a cam ring l2, and chuck [3, the chuck being held against longitudinal movement by means of the plate I 4 which plate is held in position by a series of threaded studs 15 provided with scalloped thumb nuts IS. The recess l l is of a depth substantially equal to the length of the chuck I3, and thus said chuck is'held against longitudinal movement between said plate and the rear wall 11 of the recess ll.

As will hereinafter appear, the chuck i3 is adapted to gripthe end of the tube i8 which is to be deformed and the plate I4 is providedwith a central bore 59 through which the tube end is inserted.

The chuck is of the type shown in the before mentioned copending application and comprises four tapered segmental members 20, see Figs. 5 and 6, the outer periphery of which is formed with an annular groove 2| for receiving a snap ring 22.

This snap ring maintains the segments in unitary relation at all times. The chuck further includes coil springs 23 mounted in drilled holes in each segment so that the segments will be urged out lhe chuck l3 contacts the outer periphery g;

the end of the tube 18 whenthe endthereoi is to be deformed and in accordance ,withthepres ent invention means have been provided which cooperate with the outer chuck -lfigfpr qgntactip the inner periphery of said-itubaendesqvaseto provide a very firm grip on the tube end to prevent slipping thereof during the pper ation. Referring to Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that this means comprisesian ipr ternal chuck generally designated by the reference .numeral 28:, zflhe internatchuclgfl is inc i ad e ,up of -a=':series -of segments 2 5,; the outel? pe ph 26 being'isubstantiallycylindrical shaped so as to aconfiorm to theinnensurface of the tube I8.v,r, 'Ihe e ments: :2 5; are :mai-e ina a s m itionrbyggneans; of'a snap ring ZLretained within 'aILQIIHIMaIZ-EIOQYGJQ; and said segments when assembled present a subst-an 'allycylindricalshaped :mernber havinga tapered central bore 29. aexpanderyrodfia I ':borei29,-sa-id rodbeing'provided with an enlarged tapered end;;3 b the o terperi phery of which igenerally-iconforms te the; tapered boreZfQ As twill-hereinafter: appear the expander rod 39,15

--the';internal chucl; segments; 5 to expand out- -wardly, ,and; thereby;-;expand thet tube into engagementewithz the outer chuckda, A The inter-nahchucksegments li are formed aiwitlran annular shoglderflg adaptedt receive,a zspring ring flsirsaid-ringdq ing. also engageable in :sb'ackof an annular shoulder termed on a tunbular'xod 35,-: hro s qepfgthe sprinerin s ,uratha-maintains: the chuck segments 21in a substantiailgunitary relatien, e gpan sicn of said seg- -;ments occurring atithe guter end gtl'l-QI'QOQC herein sis positioned the snap ring 21 within the annular annular recess I I, is formed with appre 6 taperownw d v enda utwarv ly anqlte eral y "Conformin to thesha wfl hc ter p ripne v noisthe chuck-A Withithe earn I g ll inthe yposition show in li'ligure g of the d g v rigsfl the -.-outer chuck: segments zfl are actuate radially inward to rip the tuheJB'jqr he end forming :eperationa; The: cam ring 12 ise tueted eii episton, 8 inlthe rear cylinder] 5i and 'is connected ,qtosaid piston.=by means of tour draw bolts 31. The. ilorward, end pf the drawpolts" are provided .iwith knurled nuts 38,, which extend through the eplatelq .and are held against the ring l2. Ihe A other end of the draw bolts -fl serewthreadedly engage .a. plate 39 which plate ismountecl; on the reduced end 4 4B of;-the p is ton---8, being locked thereonby meanspfthedock nut-M,- The piston 8-is-'formed=withaicentral bore 42 throughout its 1 length. and. mounted ,within said :bo-re isa guide-sleeve 43, oneeend of Winchesterminates withirt the spacermembers 6. as indicated --'at=M.- VA-cOHarAS-isformed on the guide sleeve 33 and isnnaintained in abutting relatiqn with the spacer member, for. limiting jts mo t in one direction-.0 The piston 8,:is;suitalely packe by s1 means=f45 on: the guide; sleeve 5,5431 it will be seen that as the piston 8 moves toward the slidably mounted within the 5 4 right or left as viewed in Figure 2, it will be guided on the sleeve 43 and will carry with it the plate 39, draw bolts 31, and cam ring l2 since these parts are all united. Movement of the cam ring l2 to the left as viewed in Figure 2 permits the en uck s me infla e emteed, e from t b gripping engagement by means of the spring 23.

The piston l is movable toward the left as viewed in Figure 2 for deforming the end 41 of l}l l$:li8 'lfhis'ioiston 7 is formed with a central bore in which is received the tubular rod 35, which rod carries tl'le ring 33 for uniting the innene "offtl'ielht'ernal chuck segments 25, as heiorepescribed, One end 49 of the tubular rod 35 extends into the spacer member 6 and is held"i'fia'lduttiilg relation with the end 44 of the sleevefiii, The rod 35 and sleeve 43 have a central bore of the same internal diameter through ds nthe expander rod 3fl which is b the di al an i d qi efec jin 2s e ed 3, )v extends t 'r'oiiehtm P a I lock nut iijbeing ad'iustablypoiinected tothe lat e h mea fl, i em ssale klh' to theposl tion i red 33 ,is jcarrield enlarged end 3i m nts 25- A. Thejgpiston l is sfi-jniachine and f r jtl ere is a w cht s T gr spring 56 1s also"pos1tidned thinj the recess sane s re e-s s t hea er E W fi 'Ea Y iirgi' the flaring element 54 oward thej left s a ed? t e theg deidrining pperatibn.

position. Rotation of. the sleeve is 'efiected through the lug 64. After the tube has been positioned and the end thereof locked by means of the inner and outer chucks l3 and 24 respectively, movement of the piston T to the left will cause the end 52 to engage the annular flange 58 for forcing the conical end 51 thereof into the tube for flaring the end of the same.

The means of operating the machine is pref- I erably hydraulic and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the upright 2 is formed with a fluid passage 65 terminating at 66 within the cylinder 4 and communicating with the left hand side of the piston '1. Likewise, upright 3 has a fluid passage 61 therein terminating at 68 within the cylinder 5 and communicating with the right hand side of the piston 8. r The spacer member 6 has a passage 69 terminating at 10 Within the cylinder 5 and communicating with the left hand side of the piston 8. The spacer member 6 is further formed with a passage H to afford communication between the cylinders 4 and 5. Mounted within this passage is a ball check valve 12 backed by a'coiled spring 13 removably held in said passage by means of a lock ring 14. By reason of the ball check valve I2 fluid can be exhausted from the cylinder 4 into the cylinder 5, but fluid from the cylinder 5 can only enter the cylinder 4 through the restricted passage 15.

As previously indicated, in the before-mentioned copending application, a pair of pistons are operable in individual cylinders by hydraulic means. Valves such as are well known in the art are employed for controlling the fluid, and it is to be understood that any conventional means can be employed in connection with the present invention for control of the fluid to the pistons.

In the operation of the device, let it be assumed that the pistons l and 8 have been moved toward each other from the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings and are therefore in engagement with the spacer member 6. In this position the segments of the chuck I3 are separated and the expander head 3| has been moved axially toward the left so that the inner chuck segments are in the relaxed position shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. -The tube l8 can thusbe readily inserted between the innerand outer chucks and its end pushed against the cone shaped end 51" of the flaring element 54. With the piston I in engagement with the spacer member 6, the end 52 thereof will be out of engagement with the flaring element flange 58 so that as the tube is pushed against the flaring element, said element will move toward the right until its flange 58 engages the pin 60. Of course, prior to starting operation, the pin fill has been properly positioned for correct location of the tube, and thus said tube when the flange engages the pin will be properly located with respect to the chuck l3. With the tube held in this position fluid from the line will enter the cylinder 5 through the passage 69 to move the piston 8 on its sleeve 43 toward the right to the position shown in Figure 2, thus moving the cam ring I2 toward the right through the draw bolts 31 causing the segments 20 of the chuck 14 to be moved radially inward into gripping contact with the tube end. Simultaneously therewith the expander rod 36 is being moved axially toward the right causing the enlarged end 3| to expand the inner chuck segments 25 outwardly and thereby expanding the tube into engagement with the outer chuck segments. It is preferred that the expander rod be accurately adjusted by the means so that the outer be interposed between the cam ring l2 and draw rods 31. As'has already been noted, the internal chuck segments 25 expand the tube into engagement with the outer chuck. This is accomplished by reason of the fact that the outer chuck is first closed and then the inner chuck is moved to its full expanded position. The outer chuck therefore becomes in. a large measure a sizing means for determining the external diameter of the end of the tube which is gripped by thechucks.

With the tube end thus firmly gripped by the inner and outer chucks, pressure will build up in the cylinder 5 and this fluid under pressure will travel through the passage. 1| and enter the cylinder 4 through the restricted passage 15 to actuate the piston I toward the left carrying with it the end 52. and effecting contact thereof with the flange 58. This will move the flaring element 54 into the tightly gripped end for flaring the same as indicated at 41. After the tube end has been deformed, a reversing valve, not shown, is actuated to cause fluid to enter the cylinder 4 through the passage 65 to move the piston 1 toward the right and exhaustfluid therefrom through the passage H since the check valve 12 will be moved away from its seat by the pressure of the fluid. Likewise, the piston 8 is moved toward the left by fluid entering the passage 61 and as the piston moves toward the left the fluid within the cylinder will beexhausted through the passage 69 to be returned to .the reservoir. Of course, the fluid being exhausted from the cylinder 4 which passes through the check valve controlled passage H will also be returned to the reservoir through the spacer member passage 69.

From the above description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that there has been provided a machine for flaring or otherwise deforming the end of a tube of a relatively large diameter. The inner and outer chucks and the manner in which they are actuated into tube gripping engagement assures that the end of the tube will be held in a very firm grip so as to prevent slipping or movement of any character during the deforming operation.

It is to be clearly understood that various changes in the details and construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a tube deforming machine, the combina tion of a supporting base, front and rear upright members attached to said base, a spacer member between said upright members, a cylinder on each side of said spacer member, a tubular member extending through said upright members and spacer member, pistons in said cylinders guided on said tubular member, said front upright member having an annular recess, a chuck in said recess for externally gripping the tube end to be deformed, a second chuck for internally expanding the tube end against said first chuck, means whereby said first chuck engages the tube momentarily ahead of the expansion of said second chuck, tube and deforming means movable in "sa "(fr and ti rigi'it memos-n and means-men d ysa i'dpistons t ahtuate said hdcks and ilbe' e'n'd defdrfiiihymeahsfi Ina tu'kie' dfbrr'fiifiimachine, the combinamen of a s'ufibdrt ing" base -frefit andTear upright {members attached tdsai fiasaefis'pacer member bet\i9'e'en said upright members, acyl inder on each s idfe o'f saids'p'acef memeer, a'tubular member "e' ding thidugh said iiprighi'r' member's and fs erfmemberf apis'tdn ine'afch cylinder guided on said tubular member, said front'iipfighti membefjqeingformd with'an-"anniii'ar recess; at:chuck i semi-recess Tor"eXte'i'-na11ygripping the end- 01. the tube to"'bedeformed3 a cam-'ring withinsaid "recessor urgin'gs'aid 'chuck into and but df tube -l'ampihg engagement, 'a secbnd chuck for interjexpandingsaid tube en'd againstsaid' outer *cfiiuck', means operable within s'aidtubular memb e r fcr' eiifiandi'n'g said "second chuck; tube' end defp'gmmg n'i'eans, time of "said pistons having mean'sfor causing-clamping engagement of the *ou chuck'moinefitafili ahead ofthe'expansion *of sa'id 'iriner chuck-and the other piston -h'aving "Ine'ansfcii a tuating" aid tiibeend deforming L 83138. K. T T :IT'I' 1- 1- 8. in a tube deforming machine, the combination'bf a supporting "base; front and rear uizright iiieinbersatt'aclred tdsaid b'ase,=a= spacer member eet-"ween can iifitightinenihers, a cylinder 'cineach side of said spa'cer member, "a tubular member ektgifidifig mrcugh said'ru ri ht member-s and *si acef' inemberfi'a pist'dmin each cylinder-guided f 6n saidtiiidular'=memiierfsaid front upright membeing ormed'with anannular:recess achuck fin said rcessfifcrexternaliir grippingthe end;- of thef tubef tdbe deformed, a cam' ring' 'w-ithin said recess for urgini' said chuck into and 'oiit -of tube clampingengagmrififa second-chuck car- *ried bi s'amtubular memb'eriwithim'said' recess 40 car internally"efifiandiiigeaid tuber-end against iai'd cuter chu'cki a rod slidaltiieeinisaid tubular "member forxpandixrg :safid secondvchuck tube "enddeformingmeans, one of saidpistonszhaving means for causing clamping -engagement of the "cuter chuck momentarily"ahead"offthe'expansion of said"inner chuck"and-*thenthefr piston having 1 'meansior' actuating said tube =ezid=deforming m a n ilniw 1:1 :rw: ,"i e 3 1 2:"1 :35; in 4. In a tube deforming machine, the combination "o'f' tubemlamfiriing "n'ieans'tube J deforming means, said tube clamping means comprising an miterzchuck roeeiamping saidztnbeend xternally and: anzifinnerz :chuck innit-e pan in h internally againstisa d puter ghtl lixfi first h 5 berzand atfiuidzoperated pistonizmqvabletherein land-e operatiyelyzrconnectedwith :Sfiidi clamping cz'ieansgia seccndrzchamber and a fluid pressure ;operatedpiston movable therein and :pperatiyely connected with saidadeformingtmeans, means ior directing: pressure fluidinto; the first chamber to move the piston etherein for, actuating the outer and innenchucks and: means for directing presssurerfiuid v i-120m said first chamberinto.w the Psecond chamber tea-move. thepisten therein jipr 15 icctuatingflsaid deformingmeans, I, n in;3a ,-tube;deforming,machine, the combination of-tubeciampingmeans, tube deforming flmeans, -isaid wtuhe c clamping'r means comprising -.an oute -chuck for, clamping saidi tubejendez- -ternai'1y and an-inner. chuck for expanding said =:tube-.;interna11yagainst said outer chuck', ,a,f1 rst -membermand a: fluid operated piston movable athenein :qand operatively connected with ,said ciamping means, a [second chamber and a ,fiuid "1press-ure -operated -.-piston movable therein; and wcpe rativeiy connected with said deformingmeans, means forrdirecting pressure fluid into.,the. 1irst rchambertqmove thepiston therein for actuating saidweiampingr'means wherebysaid first, chuck engages the-tube momentarily ahead of the-,eX-

:pansiOncs of said second chuck, and means; for directing pressurefiuid from saidfirstchamber r-t intothe second chambentmmeve the piston,there- -in 'fcr actuating saiddeformingmeans. '15 Y 1 ..;":ARTHUR L. PARKER..

h mescesciem The following"'references'areof record in the fiie -of' this patentaxwzr 1w.-

' STATES PATENTS Number Name Date e:i '1,fl393948 Hunter 0011.11, 1912 3,102,818 :Tassey -:Ju1y 7,1914 1 11368390 Ganfield ;Feb.-,15,.-1-921 '.:Be1knap Oct; 8, 1935 ,nP'arker Dec. 23, 1 941 i Parker "Now-24, 1 9,42 s Bugg Feb, -12-,- 1946 

